Orlando's airport (Websites: http://orlandoairports.net/ and http://www.ifly.com/orlando-international-airport ) is located about six miles southeast of Orlando. The airport code MCO stands for the airport's former name, McCoy Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command (SAC) installation. Because MCO is the largest major airport near Disney World, its code is sometimes jokingly described as "Mickey's Corporate Office." All of the rental car companies have counters at MCO. However, Public Transportation by way of Lynx is available. Lynx buses are located on the A-side of the Main Terminal, on the Ground Transportation Level (Level 1), at Commercial Lane spaces A38-A41. For Downtown Orlando (Approximately 40 minutes) take Lynx bus 11 which departs via Orange Avenue at 5:56 to 23:57 (5:56 to 21:57 on Saturdays, and 6:27 to 20:27 Sundays and holidays). Also you can take Lynx bus 51 which departs via Conway at 5:38 to 21:37 (5:20 to 20:22 on Sundays and holidays) . For International Drive (Approximately 60 minutes), take Lynx bus 42 which departs at 6:00 to 22:30 (6:30 to 21:30 on Sundays and holidays). For Walt Disney World (Approximately 75 minutes) take Lynx bus 111 which departs at 6:00 to 22:30 (6:30 to 21:30 on Sundays and holidays). Cost is $2.00 for each destination. Additional connecting service to shopping and residential areas are also available. Check the Lynx website (Website: http://www.golynx.com/ ) for more details including the complete schedule. Here's two websites for all Orlando attractions: http://www.visitorlando.com/ and http://www.orlandotourism.us including some discount tickets. Of course the big ones are Disney World (Website: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ ), Universal Studios Orlando (Website: http://www.universalorlando.com/ ), and Sea World Orlando (Website: http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-orlando ). There are many water parks to visit where you can cool off. Outside of Orlando, head to the John F Kennedy Space Center (Website: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/index.html ) where all of US manned space flight has been launched. Or drive over to Daytona Beach (Website: http://daytonabeach.com/ ) or Cocoa Beach (Website: http://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/ ) and catch the Atlantic Ocean. If you prefer the Gulf of Mexico coast, drive to Tampa Bay (Website: http://www.visittampabay.com/ ) and check it out. As for lodging, all of the resorts have package deals. Or go to Hotwire and check out their deals. Food choices in Orlando are beyond huge and varied. You'll easily find something that matches your taste and pocketbook. We liked the Mellow Mushroom for their pizza and beer choices (Website: http://mellowmushroom.com/ ). The Hot Krust Panini Kitchen (Website: http://www.hotkrust.com/ ) has great food at great prices. You'll easily find choices near whereever you are staying. Orlando is an international destination where you'll see lots of kids of all ages, shapes, sizes, and volumes. Have fun!
Jenny Heidel - May 2013
When you have had enough of the theme parks, travel approximately 60 miles east to Coco Beach. (Home of Major Nelson and Jeanie for those of us old enough to remember the tv show "I Dream of Jeanie") Be prepared to stop and pay several tolls if you did not purchase a pass when you rented your car. We spent the afternoon at Alan Shepard Park. (admission between $7-10 per car.) The beach has a lifeguard during busy times. The parking lot and beach are separated by vegetation covered sand dunes with board walks for crossing the dunes to reach the beach. You can rent a large beach umbrella,,2 beach chairs and a boogie board for around $27.00. There are two restaurants near the parking lot. You can purchase your lunch to go and eat on the beach.or eat in. It is a relaxing place and a nice break from the theme parks.
Mike Summers - December 2017:
We came a few days early before my wife's conference in Disneyworld. We decided, for $10/day, to add the toll pass to our rental car. We also drove east, but our first stop was the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (Website: https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/ ). You can easily spend four hours here. There are two parts to the Center. The initial one is where you park and pay admission. There are two IMAX theatres (included in the price), Rocket Garden (There's a 15 minute tour every half-hour), US Astronaut Hall of Fame, Heroes and Legends, and the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit. Then you want to get on the bus and go to the second part. Along the way, the bus shows you many sites. The second part of the Center has the Apollo 8 Firing Room, Lunar Theatre, Apollo Treasures Gallery, Saturn V Rocket, and many other exhibits. I highly recommend it. We also went to Coco Beach, which is a short drive south from Kennedy (website: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g34144-Activities-Cocoa_Brevard_County_Florida.html ). We didn't really do any of the top ten things. Instead we went to Lori Wilson Park (Website http://www.beachhunter.net/cocoa-beach/lori-wilson-park.htm ) where the parking is free, and the walk to the beach is short. They have beach rentals, a shower to rinse the sand off your feet, and ample sand to walk along. We were lucky to have a great day weather-wise in December.
Before heading back to Disneyworld, we decided to have dinner in downtown Orlando. Did you know that there is such a place? We went to the Stubborn Mule and it's happy hour (Website: https://www.thestubbornmuleorlando.com/ ). We sat outside where there was a nice crowd and minimum noise. Another nearby choice was the Eola Wine Company (Website: http://eolawinecompany.com/ ), which is right by Lake Eola and the nice walking paths (Lake Eola Information: http://www.downtownorlando.com/locations/lake-eola/#.WiXXVUxFzW8 ).
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Orlando Wikitravel Website: http://wikitravel.org/en/Orlando,_Florida
Walt Disney World Wikitravel Website: http://wikitravel.org/en/Walt_Disney_World
Kissimmee Wikitravel Website: http://wikitravel.org/en/Kissimmee
Cocoa Beach Wikitravel Website: http://wikitravel.org/en/Cocoa_Beach
Cape Canaveral Wikitravel Website: http://wikitravel.org/en/Cape_Canaveral
Orlando's airport (Websites: http://orlandoairports.net/ and http://www.ifly.com/orlando-international-airport ) is located about six miles southeast of Orlando. The airport code MCO stands for the airport's former name, McCoy Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command (SAC) installation. Because MCO is the largest major airport near Disney World, its code is sometimes jokingly described as "Mickey's Corporate Office." All of the rental car companies have counters at MCO. However, Public Transportation by way of Lynx is available. Lynx buses are located on the A-side of the Main Terminal, on the Ground Transportation Level (Level 1), at Commercial Lane spaces A38-A41.
For Downtown Orlando (Approximately 40 minutes) take Lynx bus 11 which departs via Orange Avenue at 5:56 to 23:57 (5:56 to 21:57 on Saturdays, and 6:27 to 20:27 Sundays and holidays). Also you can take Lynx bus 51 which departs via Conway at 5:38 to 21:37 (5:20 to 20:22 on Sundays and holidays) . For International Drive (Approximately 60 minutes), take Lynx bus 42 which departs at 6:00 to 22:30 (6:30 to 21:30 on Sundays and holidays). For Walt Disney World (Approximately 75 minutes) take Lynx bus 111 which departs at 6:00 to 22:30 (6:30 to 21:30 on Sundays and holidays). Cost is $2.00 for each destination. Additional connecting service to shopping and residential areas are also available. Check the Lynx website (Website: http://www.golynx.com/ ) for more details including the complete schedule. Here's two websites for all Orlando attractions: http://www.visitorlando.com/ and http://www.orlandotourism.us including some discount tickets. Of course the big ones are Disney World (Website: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ ), Universal Studios Orlando (Website: http://www.universalorlando.com/ ), and Sea World Orlando (Website: http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-orlando ). There are many water parks to visit where you can cool off. Outside of Orlando, head to the John F Kennedy Space Center (Website: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/index.html ) where all of US manned space flight has been launched. Or drive over to Daytona Beach (Website: http://daytonabeach.com/ ) or Cocoa Beach (Website: http://www.cityofcocoabeach.com/ ) and catch the Atlantic Ocean. If you prefer the Gulf of Mexico coast, drive to Tampa Bay (Website: http://www.visittampabay.com/ ) and check it out. As for lodging, all of the resorts have package deals. Or go to Hotwire and check out their deals. Food choices in Orlando are beyond huge and varied. You'll easily find something that matches your taste and pocketbook. We liked the Mellow Mushroom for their pizza and beer choices (Website: http://mellowmushroom.com/ ). The Hot Krust Panini Kitchen (Website: http://www.hotkrust.com/ ) has great food at great prices. You'll easily find choices near whereever you are staying. Orlando is an international destination where you'll see lots of kids of all ages, shapes, sizes, and volumes. Have fun!
Jenny Heidel - May 2013
When you have had enough of the theme parks, travel approximately 60 miles east to Coco Beach. (Home of Major Nelson and Jeanie for those of us old enough to remember the tv show "I Dream of Jeanie") Be prepared to stop and pay several tolls if you did not purchase a pass when you rented your car. We spent the afternoon at Alan Shepard Park. (admission between $7-10 per car.) The beach has a lifeguard during busy times. The parking lot and beach are separated by vegetation covered sand dunes with board walks for crossing the dunes to reach the beach. You can rent a large beach umbrella,,2 beach chairs and a boogie board for around $27.00. There are two restaurants near the parking lot. You can purchase your lunch to go and eat on the beach.or eat in. It is a relaxing place and a nice break from the theme parks.
Mike Summers - December 2017:
We came a few days early before my wife's conference in Disneyworld. We decided, for $10/day, to add the toll pass to our rental car. We also drove east, but our first stop was the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex (Website: https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/ ). You can easily spend four hours here. There are two parts to the Center. The initial one is where you park and pay admission. There are two IMAX theatres (included in the price), Rocket Garden (There's a 15 minute tour every half-hour), US Astronaut Hall of Fame, Heroes and Legends, and the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit. Then you want to get on the bus and go to the second part. Along the way, the bus shows you many sites. The second part of the Center has the Apollo 8 Firing Room, Lunar Theatre, Apollo Treasures Gallery, Saturn V Rocket, and many other exhibits. I highly recommend it. We also went to Coco Beach, which is a short drive south from Kennedy (website:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g34144-Activities-Cocoa_Brevard_County_Florida.html ). We didn't really do any of the top ten things. Instead we went to Lori Wilson Park (Website http://www.beachhunter.net/cocoa-beach/lori-wilson-park.htm ) where the parking is free, and the walk to the beach is short. They have beach rentals, a shower to rinse the sand off your feet, and ample sand to walk along. We were lucky to have a great day weather-wise in December.
Before heading back to Disneyworld, we decided to have dinner in downtown Orlando. Did you know that there is such a place? We went to the Stubborn Mule and it's happy hour (Website: https://www.thestubbornmuleorlando.com/ ). We sat outside where there was a nice crowd and minimum noise. Another nearby choice was the Eola Wine Company (Website: http://eolawinecompany.com/ ), which is right by Lake Eola and the nice walking paths (Lake Eola Information: http://www.downtownorlando.com/locations/lake-eola/#.WiXXVUxFzW8 ).
If you're at the Walt Disney World Contemporary Resort, have a late dinner at the California Grill (Website:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/contemporary-resort/california-grill/?CMP=OKC-wdw_gmap_8 ) and watch the daily fireworks from your table! It's a bit pricey, but it is good!
Enjoy your trip to Orlando!